You don't see a lot of self-deprecating computer technology, but that didn't stop researchers at Carnegie Mellon University from dubbing their experimental computer cluster Fast Array of Wimpy Nodes (FAWN). Wimpy is a good thing here, though, since the researchers combined low-power, embedded processors often used in laptops with flash memory to create a server architecture that's fast and energy-efficient.

The FAWN cluster includes Intel's Atom processor, which mostly shows up in netbooks since it uses less power. It also includes flash memory, which is faster than hard disks and less expensive than DRAM chips, while using less energy than either. The idea behind the project was to save energy at data centers, where the cost of electricity now equals or surpasses the cost of the computing machines themselves.Top

Troy Dreier is a technology writer and editor based in Jersey City, NJ. He’s the editor of OnlineVideo.net, senior associate editor for StreamingMedia.com, and a former staff editor for PC Magazine. He’s @tdreier on Twitter.
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